Bourse closes week on a high note

The Colombo bourse closed the week on a high note yesterday with the indices gaining tidily on a turnover of Rs.2.53 billion, up from the previous day’s Rs.2.1 billion, with the All Share Price Index up 57.69 points (0.78%) and S&P SL20 gaining 26.19 points (0.64%) with 79 losers trailing 133 gainers while 113 counters closed flat.

JKH dominated trading yesterday with three parcels totaling over 0.4 million shares crossed at Rs.258 contributing Rs.112.6 million to turnover and topping the floor trades with over 1.2 million shares done between Rs.255 and Rs.258.50 closing Rs.2.70 up at Rs.258 contributing Rs.315.4 million to the day’s business volumes.

"We saw a lot of activity in counters connected to the construction industry like Access, Tokyo and MTD Walkers," a broker said. "Midcaps like LIOC and Dialog also saw considerable activity."

"The market continued to record healthy gains amid broad based buying interest across diversified, construction, banking & finance, manufacturing, and power & energy sectors," John Keells Stock Brokers said in a market report.   

Apart from JKH, a parcel of over 0.2 million CIC was crossed at Rs.87 contributing Rs.20.4 million, 0.3 million Hemas crossed at Rs.23 (Rs.21.9 million) and nearly 19.1 million Dialog done in four parcels at Rs.12.50 contributing Rs.238.2 million to turnover.

LIOC continued to gain sharply closing Rs.4.20 up on the floor at Rs.63.40 on over 2.8 million shares done between Rs.60 and Rs.63.70, which is a 52-week-high for the counter, contributing Rs.177.2 million to turnover.

Access closed Rs.2.10 up at Rs.35.30 on nearly 4.4 million shares done between Rs.33.40 and Rs.35.50, a one-year-high for the stock, closing Rs.2.10 up at Rs.35.10 generating a turnover of Rs.151.5 million.

Among the banking counters Commercial Bank (voting) closed Rs.2 up at Rs.174.80 on 0.6 million shares and Sampath closed flat at Rs.233.70 on over 0.4 million shares with brokers saying that some employees who have received share options were putting their shares on the market.

Tokyo non-voting closed Rs.2.40 up at Rs.49.50 on nearly 1.2 million shares while the voting share closed Rs.3.30 up at Rs.68.90 on slightly over 0.6 million shares traded.

Other shares showing volume included Softlogic Holdings closing Rs.1.50 up atRs.18.90 on nearly 4.8 million shares, People’s Leasing closing 20 cents up at Rs.22.50 on over 3.1 million shares, Renuka Shaw Wallace closing Rs.2.10 up at Rs.24.70 on nearly 2.2 million shares and Softlogic Capital closing 70 cents up at Rs.8.50 on nearly 5.7 million shares.

Royal Ceramics announced an interim dividend of Re.1 per share for 2014/15, Lanka Tiles an interim dividend of Rs.2 per share for 2014/15, Lanka Walltile an interim dividend of Rs.2 per share for 2014/15, Printcare an interim dividend of 45 cents per share for 2014/15 and Ceylon Tobacco a third interim dividend of Rs.11 per share for 2014

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